posted June 08, 200505:41 PM
I was reexamining my DVD of SoA today and noticed that the Sitak's registry number is visible in one of the flyby sequences. (The approximate time index is from 0:13:13 to about 0:13:16.) I can't quite make it out, but it's NCC-3x9x1. The remaining two digits are not 1, 4, or 7, leaving 2, 3, 5, 6, 8, 9, and 0 as possibilities.

I took screenshots of the two frames where it is most visible, but we might have an easier time figuring it out if everyone with the DVD looked at it for themselves and tried to decipher it by process of elimination.

(Unrelated to this, I found it mildly interesting that according to the Defiant bridge displays, there were Olympic-class vessels involved in Operation Return. The screen behind Sisko was flashing silhouettes of Federation, Klingon, and Dominion ships throughout the episode. Other silhouttes included an Intrepid-class.)

(Unrelated to this, I found it mildly interesting that according to the Defiant bridge displays, there were Olympic-class vessels involved in Operation Return. The screen behind Sisko was flashing silhouettes of Federation, Klingon, and Dominion ships throughout the episode. Other silhouttes included an Intrepid-class.)

posted June 08, 200511:43 PM
Actually, the sources I've always seen credited are John Gross and Karen Sickles of Digital Muse, via a David Stipes newsgroup post, but they only gave the numbers from "Tears of the Prophets." I seem to recall that the erroneous NCC-31860 for the Majestic was based on our own observations of the episode and the single publicity still from the magazine, before the Starship Spotter revealed that it was actually NCC-31060.

Makes one wonder how accurate our current observations about the Sitak are...

posted June 09, 200501:40 AM
Based primary on the second photo and when inclining my head in a right angle, my opinion is this - USS Sitak NCC-32901 .

All numbers have two squares which comprise an upper and lower square. Thus the number '8' would be two squares stacked upon the other. There are four sides to a square which I mark as West Side (W), North Side (N), East Side (E), and South Side (S).

First number is 3. This is supported by the first photo and other Miranda-Class starships. First square is open on the W side. Second square is open on the W side.

Second number is 2. I can see where people might attest this number as 8. I think the mind is filling the gaps presented by the shape of the number '2' First square is open on the W side, like the first number. On the other hand, unlike the first number, the lower square is open on the E side. Ergo, number 2.

Third number is 9. The upper square is completely filled and no gaps appear. The lower square is open on the W side.

Fourth number is 0. The border between the upper square, known as the S side for this square, and the lower square, known as the N side for this square, is absent, thus creating a large open hole in the center and creating a continous rectangle.

Fifth number is 1. This number's upper square has no W, N, or S sides and the lower square has no N, W, or S sides. Thus, the two squares are now a continous line.

posted June 09, 200501:40 PM
If there were indeed Intrepid sillohuettes, then it means they too served in Operation Return, even if the only two ships taking part were the Intrepid and the Bellerophon.

posted June 09, 200502:27 PM
Of course, the screen could be showing anything from Sisko's wishful shopping list for the ships to be used on the mission, to the currently selected warp field emulation routine to confuse the Jem'Hadar, to O'Brien's desperate attempts at finding the relevant starship repair manual for fixing the oscillating frammistat that was just shot to hell.

Or, given the number of antiquities and oddballs seen on Sisko's various fleets so far, the screen could actually be showing the mere handful of ship types that were NOT included.

Not that I'd furiously oppose the presence of an Olympic in the fleet. But there would be little logic in including a hospital ship (the mission would not call for medium-term care; either starship sickbays would suffice until DS9 was retaken, or then all would be lost anyway). Perhaps the portly Olympics also serve as troopships, though? The battle plan might have included a massive boarding attack which called for more disruptor-fodder than the regular starships could carry.

posted June 09, 200502:48 PM
Well, there's the option of Olympics also being science ships, with the Pasteur being the exception rather than the rule. I seem to recall that in a TNG episode mention of a science ship was made and it was supposed to be Olympic class as well. In which case the Olympic in Sisko's fleet could be a commandship or a spy ship or something.

--------------------"I am going out to find myself. If I should get here before I return, please hold me until I get back."
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posted June 09, 200503:53 PM
The only ship other than the Pasteur from "All Good Things..." (TNG) that has been associated with this class is the Nobel, which the Encyclopedia claims to have been mentioned in "Interface" (TNG) and assigns to it with a registry of NCC-55012.

This name/registry combination later appeared on the casualty list display from "In the Pale Moonlight" (DS9), but without any class specified.

Furthermore, I have recently discovered from the script that the ship mentioned in "Interface" was NOT named "Nobel" at all, but rather Noble. (Incidentally, it was not specified as a science ship either. The only thing stated was that she and the Excelsior were engaged in the search for the missing Hera.) The Encyclopedia got the name wrong, but since the "In the Pale Moonlight" graphic used the book as reference, we end up with two ships, (U.S.S. Noble and U.S.S. Nobel NCC-55012) neither of which is canonically associated with any class.

But, of course, the SoA display leaves it open that the Nobel *could* be an Olympic, nonetheless.